Scott Cooper

After toiling for several years as an unknown, but employable actor, Scott Cooper took his career by the reigns and directed "Crazy Heart" (2009), the poignant tale of a broken-down country music sing...
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As obsessive readers and fans of dismissing quality movies as inferior to their literary counterparts, it's important for us to know which books will head to the big screen ahead of time. How else will we know how Wild Reese will be, or what is going to happen to Peeta? Be reasonable. We've decided to use our research for the good of society and share the adaptations coming soon that we are most excited for.
1. The Spook's Apprentice - Joseph Delaney (Seventh Son)
Thomas Ward (Ben Barnes) is the seventh son of the seventh son, which gives him the ability to see things that others cannot: ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, and the like. He becomes an apprentice to John Gregory, the Spook (Jeff Bridges). Julianne Moore is set to play Mother Malkin, one of the most sinister witches who uses blood magic, luring young runaway women into care before sucking their blood to maintain her youth, who was then imprisoned by the Spook. Kit Harington and Djimon Hounsou also star.
2. Fifty Shades of Grey - E.L. James
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, in case you somehow didn't know, are stepping into the roles of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey for the adaptation of the incredibly successful erotic novel. Steele, a literature student, interviews Grey as a favor to her roommate, but quickly becomes entranced by this brilliant and handsome man who is unable to resist her. He admits his desire, but on his own terms; this is a man with a need to control everything. This is also probably going to be the movie with a bunch of heavy-breathing sweaty middle-aged women trying to control themselves in the theater. You've been warned.
3. In the Heart of the Sea - Nathaniel Philbrick
The last time Ron Howard and Chris Hemsworth teamed up, they brought us one of the best films of 2013, Rush. Now, they're at it again (along with Cillian Murphy and Benjamin Walker) with this story of a whaleship attacked by one angry whale, leaving the crew shipwrecked and stranded for 90 days, thousands of miles from land. The true story inspired a little book by Herman Melville (played in the movie by our favorite, Ben Whishaw) entitled Moby-Dick.
4. The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith (Carol)
W. W. Norton &amp; Company
Patricia Highsmith, author of successful novels-turned-movies like Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley (we're choosing to ignore the recent The Two Faces of January here), wrote The Price of Salt, which will be released as 'Carol.' The novel itself, controversial for its lesbian content and unprecedented gay happy ending, is said to have inspired Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. The film stars Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and Sarah Paulson, with Far From Heaven and I'm Not There director Todd Haynes helming.
5. Dark Places - Gillian Flynn
Shaye Areheart Books
Gone Girl author brings us yet another chilling thriller. A young girl is the sole survivor of a massacre that leaves both of her sisters and her mother dead in an apparent Satanic cult ritual. She testifies against her brother, but 25 years later, she begins to investigate the actual events. Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nicholas Hoult, and Christina Hendricks star.
6. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
HarperCollins Publishers
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants director Ken Kwapis is set to direct Bryson's memoir, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. The hilarious book describes Bryson's attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz. Emma Thompson and Parks and Recreation's Nick Offerman will also star.
7. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
As conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows, a war looms for Divergent's post-apocalyptic Chicago. In this sequel, we're still following Shailene Woodley and Theo James' Tris and Four as they try to understand the reasons for Erudite's insurrection and obtain information the Abnegation are trying to protect. Kate Winslet, Zoë Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, and Miles Teller return in their supporting roles, and are joined by some all-star names: Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, and Suki Waterhouse.
8. Serena - Ron Rash
The dynamic duo of mega-nominated movies Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle are back at it! Bradley Cooper plays a man trying to maintain his timber empire during the Depression, while Jennifer Lawrence plays his wife who discovers she can't have children. For some reason, we're a little terrified of JLaw in this movie from the trailer.
9. Silence - Shusako Endo
Taplinger Publishing Company
This 1966 novel about a Jesuit missionary sent to 17th century Japan where he endures persecution is set to be adapted by Martin Scorsese. It will also have an all star cast of Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe, and Adam Driver.
10. The Longest Ride - Nicholas Sparks
The producers of The Fault in Our Stars, the author of The Notebook, and the hottest Hollywood son around, this movie already has us in love with it. Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson play two lovers and there's a rodeo or something; we don't really know, we were just thinking about how much this movie will make us cry. Time to read the book.
11. Far From the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
The Hunt director Thomas Vinterberg tackles Thomas Hardy's novel. Carey Mulligan stars as Bathsheba Everdene, a woman who has too many men in love with her and of course rejects them all until she falls for one. Three men, played by Michael Sheen, Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Bone), and Tom Sturridge (On The Road), all after this woman: who will she end up with? We actually just read the plot description and had everything spoiled and somehow still gasped and cried at those three paragraphs. Why didn't we know about this book before?!
12. Paper Towns - John Green
Dutton Books
The Fault in Our Stars author John Green's next book to be adapted by the same team who adapted TFIOS (Scott Neustadter &amp; Michael H. Weber). Margo and her adventures are legendary at her high school, and Quentin ("Q") has always loved her for it. Margo climbs through his window and demands he take an all night road trip of revenge, but when she goes missing the next day, Q realizes she's left clues for him and promptly hits the road again in search of her. Cara Delevingne will play Margo and TFIOS' Nat Wolff will play Q.
13. The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge - Michael Punke
Carroll &amp; Graf Publishers
Academy Award-nominated Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman, 21 Grams, Biutiful) is set to direct Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy in this adaptation. Partially based on the life of fur trapper Hugh Glass. Leo will play Glass, who is mauled by a bear, then later robbed and left for dead by his companions. He survives and sets out for revenge against those same men.
14. The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
Faber and Faber
A one-hundred-year-old woman, Roseanne McNulty, in a mental hospital for about 50 years decides to retrace her history. As the hospital faces demolition and he must choose which of his patients should be transferred and which should rejoin the community, Dr. Grene also tries to discover her history. What they find is very different, though there are some consistencies. Vanessa Redgrave and Rooney Mara will play Roseanne McNulty, Eric Bana will play Grene, with Theo James also starring.
15. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Penguin Classics
An oft-adapted novel, Mary Shelley's classic is to be turned into yet another film, this time directed by Paul McGuigan (Lucky Number Slevin, Push). The updated version, titled Victor Frankenstein, will be told from the perspective of the doctor's assistant, Igor. The film will explain how the doctor became the man who created the legendary monster. Daniel Radcliffe will play Igor and James McAvoy will play Victor Frankenstein.
16. The Martian - Andy Weir
Crown Publishing Group
Described as Cast Away meets Apollo 13, the novel follows an astronaut stranded on Mars, fighting to survive (which also sounds mildly like Gravity to us, no?). Ridley Scott is set to direct a pretty stellar (no pun intended) cast here: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Donald Glover, Kate Mara, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. This sounds like a great movie already, but we'll have to wait until November to see it.
17. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
Macmillan Publishers
Walt Disney Pictures is working on this live-action/CGI mash-up of the classic book, directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Chef), with a mind-bogglingly incredible cast. Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Christopher Walken, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito will provide voices, while newcomer Neel Sethi will play Mowgli.

Tragic comedienne Joan Rivers has left a chunk of her estimated $150 million (£93.75 million) fortune to her favourite charities, benefiting guide dogs, cystic fibrosis sufferers and the hungry. The comic died in September (14) after undergoing a routine throat operation in New York and her will was filed in Manhattan Surrogate's Court on Tuesday (09Dec14).
In the documents, Rivers named her daughter Melissa as estate executor and gifted her all of her tangible property, but instructed that the bulk of the funds go to beneficiaries through a blind trust.
Joan's only grandchild, Melissa Rivers' son Edgar Cooper Endicott, will receive an unspecified amount, as will the late star's niece Caroline Waxler and nephew, Andrew Waxler.
She also bequeathed money for her closest staff members, including assistants Jocelyn Pickett and Sabrina Lott Miller and publicist Scott Currie, according to the New York Post.
Other funds were donated to organisations including the New York-based Jewish Guild for the Blind in Manhattan, the Jewish Home and Hospital Foundation and food pantry God's Love We Deliver, where the veteran was a board member.
She also left money for America's The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.
The court papers also reference Melissa Rivers' plans to file a medical malpractice suit against Yorkville Endoscopy bosses over the surgery, which resulted in the comedy icon's death. A New York medical examiner determined Rivers died of hypoxic arrest, when oxygen to her brain was cut off during the procedure.

Bradley Cooper has won over New York's notoriously tough theater critics with his "stunning" transformation as The Elephant Man on the Broadway stage.
The Hangover star has reprised his role as severely deformed John Merrick in the Bernard Pomerance play and the revival officially opened at the Booth Theatre on Sunday (07Dec14), with reviewers praising the actor's efforts to contort his body and his mouth without the use of prosthetics or any heavy make-up.
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter applauds Cooper for his "tremendously moving" performance, while Deadline.com's Jeremy Gerard claims the Oscar nominee is "the best Merrick yet", and Linda Winder of Newsday was wowed by his "smashing, heart-ripping portrayal".
Variety's Marilyn Stasio is particularly impressed with his physical transformation, writing, "The piece de resistance is his depiction of the 'wide slobbering aperture' that is Merrick's mouth. Shaping his own mouth into a fleshy oval, the thesp gives expressive voice to the sensitive and intelligent human being imprisoned in his own body. It's a stunning performance, deeply felt and very moving."
Joe Dziemianowicz from the New York Daily News credits Cooper's spot-on delivery with bringing Pomerance's humour to the stage, while the New York Post's Elisabeth Vincentelli admits, "The Elephant Man isn't a great play, especially in the way it openly tugs at the heartstrings. But when it's performed well, it's satisfying on a primal level."
Co-stars Patricia Clarkson and Alessandro Nivola, who portrays the surgeon determined to understand Merrick's condition, also garnered positive reviews for helping to turn the "starchy play from patronizing edification into a haunting emotional experience", according to Rooney.
Cooper previously starred in The Elephant Man at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts in 2012. The Elephant Man revival, directed by Scott Ellis, marks the actor's first role on Broadway since 2006, when he co-starred with Julia Roberts in Three Days of Rain.
David Bowie, Billy Crudup and Mark Hamill have all previously tackled the demanding role onstage, while John Hurt portrayed Merrick in David Lynch's 1980 movie adaptation.

Former child star Danica Mckellar is engaged. The actress, who played Winnie Cooper on beloved U.S. TV series The Wonder Years, is set to tie the knot with her lawyer boyfriend Scott Sveslosky.
McKellar took to Instagram.com on Wednesday (16Jul14) and posted a photo of herself proudly showing off a diamond ring on her left ring finger, along with the caption, "Yep, my amazing boyfriend Scott & I are engaged!!"
This will be the second marriage for both McKellar and Sveslosky, who each have young sons from their previous relationships.
McKellar, who divorced Mike Verta last year (13), tells People magazine, "Scott and I are thrilled. We are looking forward to merging our families," revealing they plan to exchange vows later this year (14).

Newlywed Eve is heading back to work in a new TV movie alongside singer Jill Scott and actress Regina Hall. With This Ring will reunite Hall with her Think Like A Man co-star Gabrielle Union, who is executive producing the project for America's Lifetime network with Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds' ex, Tracey Edmonds.
The film, about three friends who vow to get married within a year of attending a wedding, will be written and directed by Nzingha Stewart and is set to start production in Cleveland, Ohio next month (Aug14), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
With This Ring, which will premiere later this year (14), marks rapper/actress Eve's first new screen job since tying the knot with Gumball 3000 race founder Maximillion Cooper in early June (14).

Kourtney Kardashian's husband Scott Disick joined the New York stretch of the Gumball 3000 supercar rally on Saturday (07Jun14). The reality TV star and businessman, famed for his extravagant collection of luxury motors, rode with Beverly Hills makeup brand Kameco's team in a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster as part of the 120-car global race.
Disick, whose wife is rumoured to be expecting her third child, later showed he could keep up with the hard-partying rally crowd by performing manic raps at New York's Up&Down club during the event's afterparty
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star took to his Twitter.com page to share a picture of his swanky car, writing, "Had an amazing drive today with paintedmanbykameco (sic)."
The rally, which also features stars including David Hasselhoff, rappers Dizzee Rascal and Tinie Tempah, Deadmau5, and British TV host Jonathan Ross, hits London's Regent Street on Sunday (08Jun14) before continuing across Europe towards the finish line in clubbing Mecca Ibiza, where Gumball founder Maximillion Cooper will wed rapper Eve.

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has replaced Australian actor Guy Pearce in Johnny Depp's Whitey Bulger biopic. Pearce was billed to play the Massachusetts gangster's brother Bill in the film, Black Mass, but unexpectedly quit the project last month (Apr14).
Cumberbatch and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty star Adam Scott have been added to the cast of the movie, which is based on the book Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil's Deal. Director Scott Cooper has started filming in Boston. Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson and Juno Temple are also part of the all-star cast.

Bradley Cooper has been credited with introducing President Barack Obama to his The Hangover pal Zach Galifianakis after reportedly coming up with the idea for the U.S. leader to film a mock-interview to promote his new healthcare initiative. Funnyman Galifianakis scored a huge Internet hit last month (Mar14) after sitting down with the politician for his irreverent FunnyOrDie.com web series Between Two Ferns, on which Obama was grilled on topics as varied as North Korea, his birth certificate and being "a nerd".
It racked up three million hits within just two hours of going live and provided a big boost to the leader's Heathcare.gov website, and now editors at Politico.com claim Cooper was the one to hook the unlikely pair up.
The American Hustle star was invited to the White House in February (14) to attend a state dinner in honour of French President Francois Hollande's U.S. visit, and during the event, the actor sat down with Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett to "brainstorm ideas about how to help get the word out" about the Affordable Care Act.
According to the political news site, Cooper suggested Obama film a Between Two Ferns skit and then "pulled out his cell phone, got Galifianakis on the line and put him on speaker".
The article continues, "He (Galifianakis) was ready to help. Now they just needed to sell the idea to the president."
Cooper was even mentioned in the hilarious interview after Obama praised the Oscar nominee for putting on "a great show" during his own Between Two Ferns appearance in 2009, to which Galifianakis responded, "Bradley Cooper... Everybody loves Bradley... Being like that in Hollywood, that's easy. Be short, fat, and smell like Doritos and try to make it in Hollywood!"
The bearded comedian wasn't the only star to help Obama raise awareness about the new bill - the mothers of Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and Adam Levine all stepped into the spotlight to urge young Americans to register for healthcare, while actor Adam Scott recently reprised his role from hit 2008 comedy Step Brothers to jokingly rant about the initiative.

Director Lynne Ramsay has reached a legal settlement with producers behind Natalie Portman's new western Jane Got A Gun after quitting the project on the eve of filming. Production was thrown into chaos last March (13) after the Scot abruptly walked away from the movie, forcing executives to delay the shoot.
Film bosses, led by Scott Steinfdorff, filed suit against Ramsay in November (13), accusing her of breach of contract and fraud, after taking a $750,000 (£468,750) payment for a job she didn't complete, but the two parties have since reached a deal to avoid going to court.
A joint statement obtained by ScreenDaily.com reads: "Jane Got a Gun Production LLC and Lynne Ramsay announce the pending civil action and all other disputes between the parties associated with Jane Got a Gun Motion Picture have been resolved privately and to their mutual satisfaction."
Details of the agreement have not been revealed.
The We Need to Talk About Kevin director was subsequently replaced by Gavin O'Connor.
Ramsay's exit wasn't the only drama surrounding the movie - Michael Fassbender was replaced by Jude Law, who was in turn replaced by Bradley Cooper, who exited the film last May (13).
Original stars Portman and Joel Edgerton were eventually joined by Ewan McGregor when filming got underway last summer (13).

A planned film adaptation of Stephen King's classic horror The Stand is one step closer to the big screen after director Josh Boone entered talks to take on the long-delayed project. Harry Potter moviemaker David Yates had initially been tasked with taking the 1978 novel to the big screen, but he stepped down in 2011 and Ben Affleck was subsequently attached to the film.
However, he walked away from The Stand last year (13), as did his replacement, Scott Cooper.
The Bourne Supremacy's Paul Greengrass was the last big name linked to the job, but now studio executives at Warner Bros. have tapped Boone to bring the project to fruition.
The Stuck In Love filmmaker, who also made Shailene Woodley's upcoming drama The Fault in Our Stars, is currently in negotiations to rewrite the script and take charge as director.
The Stand was previously turned into a 1994 TV mini-series starring Gary Sinise, Rob Lowe and Molly Ringwald.

Title

Made screenwriting debut with "For Sale by Owner"; also produced and starred in the film

Made feature acting debut as a judge in "Breakin'"

Re-teamed with Duvall for the Award-winning AMC miniseries, "Broken Trail"

Directed first feature, "Crazy Heart," starring Jeff Bridges; also wrote screenplay and co-produced with Robert Duvall

Again collaborated with Robert Duvall on "Get Low," which also starred Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek

Had a small role in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me"

Appeared in the "Takedown" with Tom Berenger and Skeet Ulrich

Acted opposite Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta in "Ladder 49"

First acted opposite Robert Duvall in the Civil War epic, "Gods and Generals"

Summary

After toiling for several years as an unknown, but employable actor, Scott Cooper took his career by the reigns and directed "Crazy Heart" (2009), the poignant tale of a broken-down country music singer that earned critical acclaim and several key awards. Cooper was born in Virginia, but spent a fair part of his youth being raised in Somerset, KY, where he attended Somerset High School for one year before moving back to Virginia with his family. Growing up, he was reared on bluegrass music and Southern literature, which had a profound influence on his creative decisions later in life. Meanwhile, he ventured north to the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York, where he trained to be an actor. One of his earliest onscreen roles was playing Klansman's son in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" (1999). After appearing in the made-for-cable movie "Rain" (Animal Planet, 2001) and on an episode of the British import sitcom, "At Home with the Braithwaites" (ITV, 1999-2003), Cooper had a minor supporting part in "Gods and Generals" (2003), which starred his acting mentor Robert Duvall as General Robert E. Lee. Following a small part in the crime thriller "Takedown" (2004) and a larger supporting turn in the uplifting "Ladder 49" (2004), Cooper was finally noticeable as Henry 'Heck' Gilpin in the award-winning miniseries, "Broken Trail" (AMC, 2006), which gave the actor an opportunity to work again with Duvall.